Maranatha Bible Church

The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. (Genesis 39:2)

When asked, "What do you want out of life?" The most common response is, "I just want to be successful and happy." Of course there are marketing and advertising professionals who's job it is to help you define real success and happiness and an abundance of self-proclaimed experts ready to help you, for a fee of course, to learn the secrets of successful and happy living.

The truth is that God has already told us everything we need to know to be successful and happy in life; Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:2, 3)

Even through many years of seemingly unfair trials and tribulations, Joseph was always a success in life. When he was just 17 years old, he was sold into slavery by his own jealous brothers. He was falsely accused of rape and was left to languish for years as a disgraced and forgotten prisoner in Egypt. Eventually, Joseph was released from prison and rose to be the most important and powerful man in the world, second only to Pharaoh.

Joseph was by any measure a very successful and happy man. Why? Because the Lord was with Joseph. From his youth, even when his circumstances were dire and his future looked bleak, Joseph was trustworthy, diligent, faithful, courageous, productive, and forgiving. But most importantly, through it all, Joseph always trusted and obeyed the Lord. Do you want to be successful and happy in life? Follow the example of Joseph.

A favorite hymn written in 1887 by John H. Sammis;

When we walk with the Lord in the Light of His word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey for there is no other way

to be Happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Maranatha!